immigrantscanada.com

Independent topical source of current affairs, opinion and issues, featuring stories making news in Canada from immigrants, newcomers, minorities & ethnic communities' point of view and interests.

Labour Market Agreements: The nine-page federal document entitled An Offer to Provinces and Territories to Transform and Renew the Labour Market Agreements, and Implement the Canada Job Grant was sent to at least one province recently. It appears to retain all the elements of the proposal set out in the March budget. More Related to this Story, according to Globe and Mail. Globe editorial Action-plan ads are ineffective An internal document suggests Ottawa is preparing to push ahead with key features of its controversial skills-training initiative, despite provincial opposition and calls for flexibility. Jason Kenney to have greater say over controversial foreign-workers program (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

William Mountbatten-Windsor: Of course, this is no ordinary child. Under the British rules of succession, Prince George is destined to inherit regency over the remnants of the British Empire. And, under Canadas present Constitution, he may become King of Canada and our countrys head of state as well. More Related to this Story, according to Globe and Mail. Whats in a name? For royals, a lot it turns out As was front page news worldwide, a baby boy was born Monday to Catherine and William Mountbatten-Windsor. We congratulate the couple and wish the newborn a happy and healthy life. The Duke and Duchess #039;s royal baby has been named George (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

Obama: Returning to Knox College in Galesburg, Ill., where he gave his first big speech on the economy as a newly elected U.S. senator eight years ago, Obama repackaged his economic message, promising to "use every minute of the 1,276 days remaining in my term to make this country work for working Americans again.", according to CBC. In the first of three planned speeches on the economy, Obama played heavily on the need to put the brakes on growing income inequality, a repeated theme in all his remarks on the economy. 'The average CEO has gotten a raise of nearly 40 per cent since 2009, but the average American earns less than he or she did in 1999.' U.S. President Barack Obama U.S. President Barack Obama said Wednesday that Washington has "taken its eye off the ball" as he pledged a stronger second-term commitment to tackling the economic woes that still strain many in the middle class nearly five years after the country plunged into a recession. While proposing nothing new, the president was obviously setting the table for what will likely be a bitter fight with congressional Republicans this fall over the need to again raise the U.S. government's borrowing limit to pay its bills and to fend off deep spending cuts being written into an upcoming Republican budget proposal. 1st of 3 speeches on economy (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

European Central Bank: The euro zone results will provide welcome reading for European Central Bank policy makers who have promised to do whatever it takes to help the economy emerge from the longest recession in its history. More Related to this Story, according to Globe and Mail. Chinas Premier holds the line on reforming economy Euro zone private industry unexpectedly bounced back to growth this month but its recovery risks being derailed as Chinas huge manufacturing engine is losing steam, surveys suggested on Wednesday. Distrust of EU at record 60 per cent: poll (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

Prime Minister Kevin Rudd: The sinking occurred days after Prime Minister Kevin Rudd changed Australias refugee policy so that people who arrive by boat will no longer be allowed to settle in the country. The move was a response to domestic political pressure and a string of deadly accidents involving rickety boats packed with asylum seekers bound for Australia, according to 660 News. West Java police spokesman Col. Martinus Sitompul said the survivors included a pregnant Sri Lankan woman who was being treated at a health centre in the town of Cidaun. A baby boy and a 10-year-old girl were among the dead and BANDUNG, Indonesia Rescuers were searching for several asylum seekers believed to be missing from a boat that sank off Indonesia while heading to Australia. Nearly 190 survivors were brought to safety and nine bodies were recovered. Local police chief Lt. Col. Dedy Kusuma said Wednesday that 189 people were rescued and nine bodies were recovered after the tugboat sank Tuesday night about 5 kilometres 3 miles off the coast of West Javas Cianjur district. It was not clear how many people were missing. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

Jackie Scott: Jackie Scott, 68, went to court after she was refused citizenship despite having come to Canada with her British mother and her Canadian father at the age of two and spending most of her life here. A judicial review of that denial was to have started Monday, but as the proceedings got underway, Scott chose to put the review on hold so she and her lawyers could expand the court action, according to CTV. But "it's not just about me," Scott told reporters afterward, saying she could not in good conscience become a Canadian without doing everything she can to help other "lost" individuals and VANCOUVER -- Thousands of so-called "Lost Canadians" may have their day in court if a woman who's waited years to establish her own Canadian citizenship decides to pursue a class-action lawsuit. Scott had initially asked the court to determine whether she was a citizen or not. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

Labour Market Agreements: The nine-page federal document entitled "An Offer to Provinces and Territories to Transform and Renew the Labour Market Agreements, and Implement the Canada Job Grant" was sent to at least one province recently. It appears to retain all the elements of the proposal set out in the March budget. , according to Winnipeg Free Press. "As soon as possible, the Government of Canada will arrange a bilateral meeting to discuss the elements of the proposal in more detail and initiate negotiations toward new agreements as quickly as possible to ensure they are in place by April 1, 2014," says the draft, obtained by The Canadian Press. OTTAWA - An internal document suggests Ottawa is preparing to push ahead with key features of its controversial skills-training initiative, despite provincial opposition and calls for flexibility. The document claims it builds on consultations with "stakeholder groups" in May and June, and says Ottawa is "looking to discuss the detailed design" with the provinces. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

Evridiki Tsounta: And women at work have helped propel Canadas economic expansion in that period, despite growth in labour productivity that is merely average, according to the reports author, Evridiki Tsounta. 'This remarkable performance has helped spur Canada's remarkable growth performance since 1995, despite only average growth in labour productivity' Evridiki Tsounta, according to CBC. "This remarkable performance has helped spur Canada's remarkable growth performance since 1995, despite only average growth in labour productivity," she said in her paper and More favourable taxation policies for families with two incomes and an increase in child-care benefits have helped bring thousands of Canadian women into the workforce since 1995 and that has had a direct benefit to the economy, according to a working paper by the International Monetary Fund. Female participation in the workforce increased to 73.5 per cent in 2004, from 67.7 per cent in 1995, putting Canada behind only a few countries like Sweden, Norway and Denmark in the percentage of women working. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

Simon Schuster: "The Center Holds: Obama and His Enemies" Simon Schuster , by Jonathan Alter , according to Winnipeg Free Press. His administration is fending off attacks on multiple fronts, including delays rolling out his signature health care plan, Internal Revenue Service practices, efforts to overhaul the immigration system and the National Security Agency's intelligence-gathering techniques. This book cover image released by Simon Schuster shows "The Center Holds: Obama and His Enemies," by Jonathan Alter. AP Photo/Simon Schuster After sailing through two presidential elections by comfortable margins, President Barack Obama finds himself bogged down just six months into his second term. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

Sustainable Prosperity: "You often hear people say you can't have an healthy environment and a strong economy," said Stewart Elgie, a University of Ottawa professor of law and economics. "B.C.'s experience shows that's not true.", according to CBC. Sustainable Prosperity has released a report that shows since the carbon tax shift was introduced in 2008, B.C.'s consumption of fossil fuels has been reduced nearly 19 per cent per capita compared to the rest of Canada, while the province's gross domestic product has kept pace with the country's and When B.C. Premier Christy Clark sits down with her fellow provincial and territorial leaders Wednesday, she might trumpet her government's carbon tax success at what many critics said was impossible: reducing fossil fuel consumption without damaging the economy, the author of a new study suggests. Elgie is chair of Sustainable Prosperity, a national network of economics and environment professors funded by the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.